PSYC315 All Weeks Discussions Latest 2020 March

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 1 Discussion

Research Design in Social Psychology

There are many methods psychologists use to research their hypothesis or explore research questions. In social psychology in particular, common methods include observational, survey, or experimental/quasi-experimental, among others. For this discussion, identify a social psychology question or hypothesis that is of interest to you (for example, why do people tend to buy a product more if they see an attractive or famous person advertising it) and briefly describe how you might go about researching that topic using one of the research methods described in your readings this week. Why do you think that method is a good fit for your question/topic? Are there any methods that wouldn’t work well? Why/why not? How does this method in particular relate to social psychology research as compared to research in other fields?

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 2 Discussion

The Social Self in Social Psychology

Motivation is a fantastic tool that helps keep individuals moving and active in life. Consider the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. What are the motivations in your life that are pushing you to earn your degree? How do your sources of motivation align with your sense of self or self-concept? Do you find yourself more swayed by intrinsic or extrinsic sources of motivation when it comes to completing your degree? Why do you think that is?

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 3 Discussion

A Picture of Perception

Let’s revisit the images we looked at in the lesson this week. Share with the class a summary of the notes and thoughts you had when deciding how to perceive the individuals depicted. What was your assessment of them? What factors related to social psychology and perceptions of others led you to think that? What other information might you have wanted to know to make a more accurate assessment?

Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification. Specifically, when responding to peers, consider an alternative way to perceive the person(s) in the picture. Share what factors might have led to misperceptions about that person?

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 4 Discussion

Obedience

Think back to the video you watched on Milgram’s study on obedience. If you found yourself to be the “teacher” in the study, do you think you would have responded the same way as the participants highlighted in the study? Why/why not? Consider what social dynamics would have influenced your choices. What impact, if any, does the time in history that this study was conducted have on its results? If this study was conducted today, would the results be the same? Why/why not? Remember to go beyond opinion in your response and to connect your analysis and conclusions to key social psychology terms and concepts we learned about this week.­

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 5 Discussion

Steretoypes and Self-Esteem

Consider what we discussed earlier in the course regarding our sense of self and analyze that in the context of our discussion of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination this week. What impact might being the victim of stereotypes, prejudice, or discrimination have on our self-esteem or self-concept?

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 6 Discussion

Attraction

There are so many variables that factor into the psychology of attraction. Interpersonal attraction and sociability are essential to the survival of the human species. However, human interactions have changed significantly over the past 100 years with the advent of the telephone, social media, and the Internet. In the context of your readings and research this week, discuss whether you believe that long-distance relationships are sustainable and realistic for the continuation of attraction. In particular, consider your response in the context of Sternberg’s Theory of Love.

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 7 Discussion

Self-Control and Aggression

When it comes to aggression, self-control is one of the most important factors in keeping one’s destructive side from emerging. Your discussion post will include two parts this week. In Part I, describe a time that you witnessed aggression in others.

What were the circumstances of the incident?

What made the situation escalate?

What social psychology components related to aggression were at work (situational factors, social rejection, obedience, conformity, social learning theory, etc.)

In Part II, reflect on each step of the incident and what you witnessed or felt. Then describe what the person could have done differently to stop the situation from resulting in aggression. Connect your recommendations to specific concepts or theories discussed this week such as rumination, self-control, or aggressive cues.

 

PSYC315 Social Psychology

Week 8 Discussion

Who Do We Help?

Consider our exploration of factors that lead us to help, as well as those that direct us to helping certain people over others that we discussed this past week. To prepare for this discussion, find a spot in a public place that has lots of people. For example, a bench at a park, the food court at your local mall, etc. Make sure you select somewhere busy where you are likely to see numerous encounters among strangers. Now, for 30-60 minutes, observe carefully the interactions you see around you, making note of any helping/positive behaviors (holding the door open for someone, letting someone go ahead in line, helping someone pick up something they dropped, waving or smiling in greeting, etc.). When you see someone engaging in helping behavior, note as many details as you can about all of those involved in the exchange. Age, race, attractiveness, clothing, type of help, nature of the exchange, etc. Take some time to reflect on patterns you noted in your observations.

Now, respond to the following in your discussion:

What patterns did you find, if any, in your observations?

Did they fit with the theory and research we discussed this week?

If so, how so? If not, why not?

Remember to be specific when making connections between your observations and relevant theory and research.